1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a play device for generating a synthesized self-portrait, and more particularly, to a play device for generating a synthesized self-portrait by synthesizing a a photographed image of a player with a background frame image. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for showing a commercial on a terminal while the player waits for printing the self-portrait in the play device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
An example of a play device for generating a synthesized self-portrait is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registered Publication No. 3014733. Generally, the play device for generating a synthesized self-portrait begins to operate when a coin is put into the device. The first step for generating a synthesized self-portrait is to photograph a desired object with a camera attached in a terminal. An obtained image and a previously prepared background frame image are synthesized, so that a self-portrait is completed and displayed on a display device such as CRT. The self-portrait is printed on a seal by a video printer. This type of function is referred to as a standalone type play.
Further, it has also been proposed that a play device capable of generating a home page including a self-portrait and voice in the Internet. After the home page is then registered in the Internet through the public telephone line, the self-portrait on the home page is printed on a seal. This type of function is referred to as a network type play, and a terminal that performs the network type play is referred to as a network type play device.
After a self-portrait is synthesized in the terminal of the play device and displayed on the information display device, it is printed on the seal. When the self-portrait is printing on the seal for about 30 seconds, the self-portrait on the information display device disappears and a selected image plane appears. Since the player has to wait for completing the printing process, he has nothing to do in this period. Accordingly, there has been a demand to more entertain the player in the conventional play device.
The conventional play device does not display a selected image plane for the waiting period while completing the printing. Instead, a pleasant moving image or a still picture is displayed during each printing process. Alternatively, music or a pleasant voice is played by a sound system.
Although it does not belong to the technical field of the play device for generating a synthesized self-portrait, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 8-280934 discloses a system terminal for a common game system connected to a host computer through the public telephone line. Using this system, a game program can be renewed by the latest one.
Also, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 5-233308 discloses a POS terminal connected to a host computer through the communication line in the POS system. A program can be thus downloaded from the host computer by a remote control in accordance with a system program provided in the POS terminal whenever a version of the program is upgraded.
However, the above conventional program renewal system of the common game system and the POS system cannot be adopted to the play device for generating a synthesized self-portrait because the play device requires to be operated differently from those systems. For example, in the play device for generating a synthesized self-portrait, a self-portrait is formed at each terminal and is printed on a seal. Each terminal is connected to a server, so that a home page is registered in the Internet. In addition to the aforementioned network type play functions, it is necessary to rewrite one or more commercial data at each terminal in an appropriate time. Thus, when the commercial data is rewritten by the remote control in the play device for generating a synthesized self-portrait, it is necessary to provide a program which operates quite differently from an ordinary operation. When this program is operated, it is impossible to take a photograph or print a seal at the same time.
For example, when the terminal is located in a loud street, the terminal may be continuously used from the morning to the evening as long as the electric power is supplied. Thus, there may be no spare time provided for rewriting the commercial data in the terminal. Further, in many cases, the commercial data can not be rewritten since no electric power is supplied to the terminal in the evening.